About

About

I am the User Interface Engineer at Tekron International, and a 4th Year student of Computer Science (the fancy name they give to the major subject for people who couldn’t decide between network engineering and software development), studying towards my Bachelor of Science at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. My focus is on making simple solutions to everyday problems (like automation of daily tasks, ie. timetable/availability tracking, using GPS and calendar data to make meeting planning easier, etc.), building clean, enjoyable UI, and creating virtual worlds and games.

For more about me, keep reading, but be warned. Below lies dragons run-on sentences and long paragraphs. For contact options, my blog, Pinterest, and whatever else is laying around here, click/tap here to scroll past or click the links in the header.

As a person with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), task automation is very important to me, and creating software to make life easier for people with similar disadvantages is one of my passions. As of yet, all of my personal projects in this area are on hold, but I hope to bring a few into development soon. Another aspect of my ADHD is my limited attention span and high energy levels, which grant me an undying attraction to “new shinies”, hence my love for UI and Game Development.

My ADHD is not always a disadvantage, however. For reference, I have ADHD-C, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Combined Type, which means that I not only tested highly for inattentive symptoms (the most common diagnosis in girls with the disorder), but also for hyperactivity symptoms (girls are rarely diagnosed with this type), so I have “the best of both worlds” so to speak. Thankfully, the combination of low attention span and high energy actually makes multitasking easier for me than for most. It means that I can dedicate brief (ie. 5 minute) time slots to various projects and tasks, and thus keep myself from being bored while keeping my productivity levels up and staying on task.

I’m sure if you’re a potential employer and have read this far, you’ve probably read the above paragraph as a long-winded explanation as to why I should not be hired, but let me redeem myself here. I was only diagnosed with ADHD in 2015, at the age of 19. I grew up knowing there was something wrong, that I didn’t function the same as the kids and adults around me, but never knowing why. It was only when my aunt (a registered nurse and clinical psychologist, who occasionally works with abused and disabled children) came to visit from overseas in 2012 and mentioned some behaviours of a child that she had worked with that had ADHD, that I began to question whether or not I might have a similar disorder. After moving away from my hometown and starting University, I finally managed to find a doctor who would listen, and who referred me to a psychiatrist for a diagnosis. Since then, I have improved in leaps and bounds. Not only have I found a medication that works for me, but I have also developed (and continue to develop) strategies to allow me to overcome many of the disadvantages that ADHD presents. I have been in employment (in retail and hospitality, mind, both very high-stress, fast-paced industries) since 2012, and have not once been told that my ADHD has gotten in the way of my work, and have even been repeatedly praised for my team-based, self-accountable, improvement-focused attitude, and as a result have received praise from Customers and Managers alike in regards to my service and work-ethic.

Well, I think that’ll do for now. Congratulations if you read this far, I know I wouldn’t.